I thought I'd written about this before, but can't find the post, and it's important enough anyway to mention again.
André Striegel, a Florida State University assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, has been named the first Preservation Research and Testing Professor in Residence at the Library of Congress’ Preservation Research & Testing Division. Striegel, an expert in cellulose, will spend the summer in DC "investigat[ing] the degradation of cellulose-based materials over time - and work on ways to mitigate the problem."
Striegel: "It is an honor to be the first person asked by the Library of Congress to serve in this capacity. I can only hope the research I perform while there helps us to understand how cellulose, the basic ingredient of paper and cloth-type documents, degrades and how this, in turn, leads to corrective or preventive actions to help preserve the books, documents, artwork and other materials that have served to transmit information and values across cultures through the centuries."
An FSU press release notes that Striegel will be involved with consultations on other LC projects, "including one that focuses on the degradation of magnetic audio tapes. He also will give a series of lectures."
